Air-heating apparatus



Ma 18, 1926. I 3,585,410

V. OLOFSON AIR HEATING APPARATUS Filed August 26, 1925 Patented May 18, 192 6.

PATENT OFFICE.

VILHELM oLoFson, or LONDON, ENGLAND.

' AIR-HEATING APPARATUS.

Application filed August 26, 1925. Serial No. 52,563.

This invention relates to air-heating apparatus and has particular reference to apparatus used by hairdressers for drying the hair. The invention has'for its main object to provide improved control devices in air-heating apparatus of the type wherein blowing means create a blast and the heating means for the blast is under the control of the operator and is operative only when the fan or blower is running. It has been proposed to provide means to regulate automatically the gas feed according to the pressure of the air being heated in a stove, the air being fed through the stove by means of a fan and the stove being in communication with a pressure operated control device by way of a by-pass. In such apparatus however the control of the heating means is not I dependent on the'blast, but on the pressure obtaining in the stove.-

According to this invention the controlling means (for example a gas-cock or electrio switch), for the heating apparatus is operatively connected to a control device operable directly by the blast from the fan in such manner that the said heating apparatus is rendered operative to heat the blast only when the blowing means is in operation to create a blast. In this manner waste of gas or electric current is avoided and the action of switching on the fan motor automatically brings the heating apparatus into operation to heat the blast and owing to the control device being operated directly by the blast from the fan it responds readily to variations in velocity of the blast so that the control of the heating means is governed by the velocity of the blast. Preferably the control device takes the form of a hinged flap situated in the conduit leading from the fan to the drying nozzle or nozzles, and this flap may be operativel connected with the control valve or switc for the heater. I

Other features of the invention will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims. i

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 shows diagrammatically a por tion of an air-heating installation suitable for a hairdressing establishment, and

Figure 2 is a part sectional-elevatiouof the control device drawn to a larger scale.

pin-and-slot connection permits of slight rel- "The counter-balance weight 14 is suitably Like reference numerals refer to like parts .in both the figures.

The improved control device according to this invention may be applied to existing apparatus. One convenient type of apparatus is shown in Figure 1 which comprises a gasheater 1 having a pilot jet 2 and arranged in proximity to the flared end 3 of an air-inlet conduit 4 having connection at the other end with a fan or blower 5 driven by an electric motor 6. The delivery conduit 7 from the fan to the various drying nozzles 8 has a flap-valve 9 in it which is normally closed but which is opened by the air blast when thefan is running. Theflap-valve is connected wlth the main gas-cock 1O controlling the gas supply to the heater in such manner that as soon as the air blast raises the flap-valve the gas 1s turned on to the heater to heat the blast. Any suitable connection may beprovided between the flap-valve and the heater control.

The control device, comprising the flapvalve 9, 1s preferably constructed as a unit adapted to be inserted in an existing system. Figure 2 shows a convenient construction, from which it willbe seen that the flapvalve 9 is pivotally su ported in a rectangular casing 11 on a spl'ndle 12 which passes through the walls of the casing and is pro vlded at one end with an arm 13 having an adgustable counter-balance weight 14 thereon, and at the other end with an arm 15 having a slot 16 which is adapted to engage a pin 17 on a disc 18 secured to the rotatable plug of the gas-cock 10. The aforesaid ative movement between the valve and cook due to temperature variations or other causes, and at the same time rovides an effective connection between t ese members. m; adjusted to close the valve and turn the gascock to the off position when the valve is not under the influence of the air blast. It is preferred to make the flap-valve curved slightly as shown 'in Figure 2 so that the maximum effect from the blastis obtained.

A control device 19 is provided, at each of the drying nozzles. It will be understood that any convenient number of drying nozzles may be provided to communicate with 1 the delivery conduit 7.

The invention is applicable to air-heating or drying apparatus for various purposes, and it will be understood that the construction and application herein described are given by way of example only.

, What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Apparatus of the kind described, comprising in combination blowing means'for creating a blast, heating means for heating the blast, means for controlling the heating means and a control device operatively connected to said means for controlling the heating means and so arranged as to be operable directly by the blast in such manner that the said heating means is rendered op-' erative to heat the blast only when the blowing means is in operation to create a blast.

2. Apparatus of the kind described, comprising in combination blowing means for creating a blast, a conduit communicating with said blowing means, heating means for heating theblast, means for controlling the heating means and a control device situated in said conduit and arranged to be operable by the blast therein and operatively connected to said means for controlling the heating means.

3. Apparatus of the kind described, comprising in combination a blower for creating a blast, a motor for driving said blower, air intake and delivery conduits communicating with said blower and an air delivery nozzle communicating with said delivery conduits, a heater arranged to heat the air passing through said conduits, means for controlling said heater and control device operable by the blast in said conduits and operatively connected to said means for controlling ,the heater in such manner that the heating means is operative to heat the blast only when the blower is in operation to create a blast.

4:. Apparatus of the kind described, comprising in combination blowing means for creatin a blast, a conduit communicating with said blowing means, heating means for heating the blast, means for controlling the heating means, and a movable flap situated in said conduit and arranged to be operated by the blast therein, said flap being operativelyconnected to said means for controlling the heating means.

5. Apparatus of the kind described comprising in combination, a blower for creatmg a blast, a motor for driving said blower, .air intake and delivery conduits communieating with said blower, and an air delivery nozzle communicating with said delivery conduit, a heater arranged to heat the air passing through said conduits, means for controlling said heater and a hinged flap situated in said delivery conduit to be operable by the blast therein, said flap being operatively connected to said means for controlling the heater in suchmanner that the heater is operative to heat the blast only when the blower is in operation to create the blast.

6. Apparatus of the kind described comprising in combination, a blower for creating a blast, a motor for driving said blower, air intake and delivery conduits communicating with said blower, and an air delivery nozzle communicating with said delivery conduit, a heater arranged to heat the air passing through said conduits, means for controlling said heater, a hinged flap situated in said delivery conduit to be operable by the blast therein, said flap being operatively connected tosaid means for controlling the heater in such manner that the heater is operative to heat the blast only when the blower is in operation to create the blast and an adjustable counterbalance weight operatively connected to said hinged flap to retain said flap normally in the position for rendering the heater inoperative.

7. Apparatus of the kind described comprising in combination, a blower for crcating a blast, a motor for driving said blower, air intake and delivery conduits communicating with said blower, and an air delivery nozzle communicating with said delivery conduit, a heater arranged to heat the air passing through said conduits,,means-for controlling said heater, a hinged flap situated in said delivery conduit to be operable by the blast therein, said flap being operatively connected by a pin and slot device to said means for controlling the heater in such manner that the heater is operative to heat the blast only when the blower is in operation to create the blast.

8. Apparatus of the kind described, comprising in combination a blower for creating a blast, a motor for driving said blower, air intakeand delivery conduits communicating with said blower, and an air delivery nozzle communicating with said delivery conduit, a gas heater disposed near the inlet conduit to said blower to heat the air entering said conduit, a cock for controlling the supply of gas to said heater, and a control device operable b the blast in said conduits and operative y connected to said cock in such manner that the heater is operative to heat the blast only when the blower is in operation to create a blast.

9. Apparatus of the kind described, comprising m combination a blower for creating a blast, a motor for driving said blower, air intake and delivery condults communicating with said blower, and an air delivery nozzle communicating with said delivery conduit, a gas heater disposed near the inlet conduit to said blower to heat the air entering 'said conduit, a cock for controlling the supply of gas to said heater, and a hinged flap contro device operable by the blast in said conduit and operatively connected to said cock in such manner that the heater is operative to heat the blast only when the blower is in operation to create a blast.

10. Apparatus of the kind described comprising in combination a blower for creating a blast, a motor for driving said blower, air intake and delivery conduits communicating with said blower and an air-delivery nozzle communicating with said delivery conduit, a'heater arranged to heat the air passing through said conduits means for controlling said heater, a flap pivotally supported in said delivery conduit, a leverhaving an adjustable counterbalance weight 'thereon and a leverhaving a slot adapted to engage a pin on the said means for controlling the heater said members being operatively connected to said flap.

11. Apparatus of the kind described,,comprising in combination "a unit control device comprising a casing adapted'to; be included in an air feeding conduit anda flap pivot-ally supported in the casing and having means for. connection to a heater control a said means including an arm operatively connected to said flap and arranged outside said casing. c so. 12. In apparatus of the kind described,

a unit control device comprising a casing adapted to be. included in an air feeding conduit, a flap pivotally supported in said casing, a lever having an adjustable counterbalance weight thereon and a lever having a slot adapted to engage a pin on a heater control said members being op'eratively connected to said flap.

13." Apparatus of the kind described comprising in combination a fan,' an electric motonfor driving said fan, an air delivery conduit communicating with said fan and having a plurality of air delivery nozzles each having a manually operable control device associated therewith, a gas heater arranged to heat the air passing to said conduit and having a main control cock and pilot flet.-

14. In apparatus of the kind described the combination with an air feed conduit, means for for'cing air through said conduit and a heater for heating the air in said conduit, of an automatic control device for the heater operable by air passing through said conduit andarranged to regulate the heater in accordance with the velocity of said air. In testimony whereof- I have signed my name to this specification.v

VILHELM OLOFSON. 

